Tabbing cradle



I. J. FOY

TABBING CRADLE Sept. 21, 1937.

Original Filed Aug. 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor dttorncgs.

Sept. 21, 1937. I. J F Y- 2,093,716

TABB ING CRADLE Original File d Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor (Zttornegsi.

Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES means PATENT OFFIQE Application August 5, 1936, Serial No. 94,441 Renewed August 13, 1937 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a tabbing cradle and has for an object to provide a device in which paper and the like may be held while performing the operation of tabbing.

Another object is to provide a device which is adjustable to handle various paper sizes for tabbing.

A further object is to provide a device in which a plurality of stacks of paper may be handled simultaneously.

Further objects include ready changing of sizes for handling various papers, the provision of devices for clamping the paper which may be readily operated and which may be used in conjunction with ordinary printers furniture blocks to adapt them to various sized stacks of paper.

It is the custom among printers and bookbinders to hold stacks of paper for tabbing, sewing or similar operations by merely laying the stack on any fiat surface and placing suitable weights on the top of the stack to hold it during the operation. It will be recognized that this is a crude and. unsatisfactory method of handling stacks of paper particularly when they reach a considerable height. Even more difiiculty is eX- perienced when the paper is of different thicknesses at various places, as for instance where a perforation is run across part of the paper. This situation is frequently met when tickets are being tabbed. In such a case it is almost wholly impossible to tab a large stack at once as the stacks are uneven and topple over.

The present invention contemplates a device which provides compartments of various selected sizes corresponding to the common sizes of paper handled. The paper is inserted into these compartments with the edge to be glued or sewed projecting outwards and thereupon pressure is placed on the stack to clamp it and hold it securely during the operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a tabbing cradle made according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation looking at theright end of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing paper in clamped position in the cradle.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a cradle showing two paper holding compartments and paper clamped therein.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a cradle shown clamping a large vertical stack of paper.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of a series of back boards employed in making up the paper compartments, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a shelf or tray used in conjunction with the back boards to form the compartments.

Referring now to Figure l the present embodiment of the invention as there seen comprises a base-board l0 having at one end an end board I I and at the other an end board l2. The end boards H and I2 are secured to the base-board II] by any means possessing the requisite strength to resist action of clamping. Between the end boards H and [2 at their upper edges and near the front of the cradle is placed a tension bar I3.

The rear edges of the end boards are connected and braced by means of suitable bars [4. The lower front edge of the base-board I0 is preferably provided with legs l5 which serve to elevate the front or working side of the cradle and so make it more accessible.

As will be seen in Figure 1 the end board I l is provided on its inner face with a series of spaced vertical grooves or guides l6, seven in number in the present instance. These grooves are located with respect to the front of the cradle according to the depth of paper stock expected to be handled. The end board H likewise has spaced horizontal grooves or guides ll which are located to accommodate various widths of paper. As will be seen in Figure 3 the end board I2 is provided with corresponding guides l6 and ll. The right end board l2 has located in a vertical line near its front edge a series of compressing screws l8 which pass through the board and are operable from outside of the cradle. These screws I8 are positioned so that one lies between each pair of guides l1 and one lies between the top and the uppermost groove and another between the bottom and the lowermost groove. The purpose of this location will appear hereafter. The tension bar l3 across the top of the cradle is providedwith a pair of compressing screws l9 which are adapted to exert pressure in a downward direction.

The cradle is provided with a set of back boards 20 of various sizes one corresponding to the height of each of the grooves ll above the base-board I0 and one corresponding to the total depth of the cradle. These back boards 26 are adapted to be slid into the guides IE to define the depth of a paper compartment. The cradle has also a series of trays 2| adapted for sliding in the guides ll. These trays 2! are provided in a variety of sizes corresponding to the distances of the guides Hi from the front edge of the cradle. These trays 2| define the height of the compartments formed.

Now referring to Figure 5 the cradle is seen with a tray 2| placed in the intermediate guide I! so that the width of the cradle is divided in two. As seen from the top in Figure 4 a back board 28 is inserted in the third guide I6 from therear of the cradle; that guide l6 being chosen which will bring the edge of the paper to the open side of the cradle so that it may be tabbed. A short stack of paper 22 is placed in the upper compartment thus formed and is held in place by the compressing screws I 8 from which it is spaced by suitable sizes of printers blocks or the like 23. In the lower compartment of the cradle is placed a larger stack of paper 2 -1. The size of this stack brings the end so near to the compressing screws l8 that the large block 23 can be eliminated. It will be readily seen that the stacks of paper 22 and 24 are held in perfect alinement during the complete tabbing operation permitting the opera tion to take place more rapidly and accurately than it was possible by the older means employed by printers or bookbinders.

When the cradle is to be used for holding very large sheets of material it may be advantageous or necessary to stack the sheets vertically as shown in Figure 6 instead of laying them on edge. In Figure 6 a stack 25 of sheets of large dimensions is clamped in the cradle. In this case the compressing screws I9 of the tension bar l3 are employed and a plate or block 26 is interposed between the screws I9 and the top of the stack for the purpose of equalizing the pressure of the screws and preventing the injury of the upper sheets of the stack. In this case the base-board ID of the cradle provides the bottom of the paper compartment while the longest back board 20 is employed in the guide 16 which is suitable to position the working edge of the paper properly.

It is to be noted that the tabbing cradle may be made of any suitable material and any construction may be employed which will provide the requisite sturdiness. If the cradle is made of wood it is preferred to line the guides 16 and I1 with metal to reduce friction and absorb wear. It is also preferred to place corner caps 21 on the leading corners of the back boards 20 and the trays 2|. The purpose of these caps is dual, the metal absorbs wear and reduces friction and also prevents jamming in the guides.

The structure of the cradle itself particularly as regards the bracing bars i l and the top structure are susceptible of wide variation. Thus, if desired the back may be made solid and the top may be provided with further bracing.

With the above described cradle it is possible to tab more than one stack of paper as shown in Figure 5. In addition to this, because of the various sizes of back boards 26 and trays 2! provided, papers of different sizes may be clamped, the sizes of the compartments being varied to suit.

The cradle is not at all limited as to size. Thus it may be made to accommodate small tickets or cards or used in the binding of small tablets or books. On the other hand, the size may be increased to handle any paper or cardboard or similar stock on which these operations are to be performed.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame,'means including guides and partitions dividing the frame to form compartments of various sizes to receive different sizes of paper, and means for clamping paper in the compartments so formed to hold the paper in position for tabbing.

2. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame having end boards provided with spaced sets of horizontal and vertical guides, partitions of various sizes inserted into certain of said guides to provide paper receiving compartments of various sizes, and clamping means applicable to paper in any of the paper receiving compartments.

3. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame having end boards provided with horizontal and vertical guides, partitions inserted into certain of the guides to form compartments, and a tensioning bar at the top of the frame having means thereon for exerting downward pressure on paper to hold the same for tabbing.

l. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame having end boards provided with spaced sets of horizontal and vertical guides, partitions of various sizes inserted into certain of said guides to form paper receiving compartments of various sizes, and compressing means in an end board adapted to apply horizontal clamping pressure to paper in a compartment.

5. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame having opposite end boards provided with series of spaced horizontal and vertical guides, partitions of various sizes inserted into certain of said guides to provide compartments for receiving paper, and a series of vertically spaced apart compressing screws in an end board disposed to lie between horizontal guides thereon and adapted to exert horizontal clamping pressure on paper in a compartment to hold the same for tabbing.

6. A tabbing cradle comprising a frame, means for dividing the frame into various sized paper holding compartments, and means for exerting clamping pressure on paper in said compartments.

7. A tabbing cradle comprising a base-board, opposite end boards rising from the ends of the base-board, bracing bars between the back edges of the end boards, a tension bar at the top between the upper front edges of the end boards,

said end boards having spaced horizontal grooves corresponding in distance from the top of the cradle to the various sizes of paper to be handled and also having spaced vertical grooves corresponding in distance from the front of the cradle to the various sizes of paper to be handled, back boards of varying heights inserted into certain of the said vertical grooves, trays of varying depths inserted into certain of the said horizontal grooves, said back boards and trays when in position in the grooves providing paper receiving compartments of varying sizes, and means for clamping paper in position in said compartments.

8. A tabbing cradle comprising a base-board, opposite end boards rising from the ends of the base-board and having thereon spaced sets of horizontal and vertical guides, back boards of varying heights inserted into certain of the vertical grooves, trays of varying depths inserted into certain of the horizontal grooves, braces at the top and back of said end boards, said back boards and trays adapted to define paper holding compartments of varying sizes, means on an end board for exerting clamping pressure on paper in one of said compartments, and legs on the front edge of said base-board for tilting the cradle to elevate and make more accessible the working edges of paper in said compartments.

9. A tabbing cradle comprising a base-board, opposite end boards rising from said base-board and having spaced sets of horizontal and vertical guides, various sizes of back boards inserted into certain of said vertical guides, various sizes of trays for insertion into said horizontal guides, said back boards and trays when in position in said guides forming paper receiving compartments of various sizes, metal caps on the corners of the leading edges of said back boards and trays to reduce friction in said guides and to prevent jamming of the back boards and trays therein, and clamps on an end board for holding paper in one of said compartments.

IRVING J. FOY. 

